


This is How the Story Goes

by Rethira



Category: Tales of Graces
Genre: AU, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-01
Updated: 2012-09-01
Packaged: 2017-11-13 07:41:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/501094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rethira/pseuds/Rethira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is how the story goes.</p><p>Asbel's life takes a different route.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This is How the Story Goes

This is how the story goes.

When Asbel is eleven he befriends an amnesiac girl and names her Sophie. He argues with his father and saves young Prince Richard’s life.

The three of them make a pact that they will always be friends, and they carve their names into their tree as proof of the pact.

~

This is how the story goes.

When Asbel is eleven, Sophie dies saving his life. His father, fearing his two sons will fight over the title of Lord Lhant, sends Asbel’s brother to be adopted.

Asbel runs away from home and goes to be a knight. He never sees his father again.

~

This is how the story goes.

When Asbel is eighteen, his father dies. He goes back home and finds his childhood friend, Cheria, has turned cold in his absence.

He tries to be a lord and fight a war, but this was never the life he wanted for himself.

~

This is how the story goes.

When Asbel is eighteen, he finds Sophie again, where he first met her. She’s forgotten again, and hasn’t changed at all, but she’s still _Sophie_.

He wants the old days back, and he knows he’s not going to get them.

~

This is how the story goes.

When Asbel is eighteen, his brother triumphantly returns home; but he has also changed in the intervening years. He’s colder than Cheria is, and Asbel is afraid.

He defeats Asbel easily in battle, and tells him to run away like he always did. He chases Asbel out of town, and takes the rule he was denied.

~

This is how the story goes.

When Asbel is eighteen, he loses all the things he’d thought he had. He doesn’t know what to do, so he runs like his brother told him.

Sophie stays with him because Asbel is her home, even if he doesn’t realise that.

~

This is how the story goes.

When Asbel is nineteen, he gets a letter from his mother, asking him to go home. He considers it for days, but he isn’t ready yet.

He doubts he ever will be.

~

This is how the story goes.

When Asbel is twenty-six, he is tired. He’s been running so long, he doesn’t know how to stop. He’s seen the world over, and when he thinks of home it’s never Lhant that comes to mind.

His home is Sophie, and he just hopes that will be enough.

~

This is how the story goes.

When Asbel is thirty, he almost dies. Sophie saves him yet again, and she’s so _angry_ it’s radiant. He promises to be more careful, to watch out, but they both know it’s an empty promise.

The wound doesn’t heal right; he’s left with thick, jagged scars from his left shoulder down to his right hip. The scars pull and ache when he moves.

~

This is how the story goes.

When Asbel is thirty two, he loses an eye. Sophie cries for him, cries over him and he smiles sadly at her. He tries to make light of it, talks about how he’s getting all these dashing wounds.

Neither of them laugh; Sophie hasn’t aged a day.

~

This is how the story goes.

When Asbel is thirty nine, he passes Cheria in the street and she doesn’t recognise him. He’s glad; he doesn’t think he could bear to see the people he loved again.

He’s so very tired. He just wants to rest.

~

This is how the story goes.

When Asbel is forty three, he sends a letter to Richard. _I’m sorry_ , he writes. _I should have been there_ , he continues. _This is goodbye_ , he thinks, _or perhaps I’ll see you soon._

He buries it near Richard’s old, overgrown grave and cries bitter, angry tears.

~

This is how the story goes.

When Asbel is forty six, he doesn’t receive a letter asking him to go home. Sophie burns it before he can read it, and kisses his forehead and tells him there’s nothing to worry about.

She holds back her angry tears, and tries not to think of a life half-lived.

~

This is how the story goes.

When Asbel is forty six, he tells Sophie to take him back. He’s sick and dying; he can feel it in his bones. So he asks her to take him back.

Back to the last happy place he has.

~

This is how the story goes.

When Asbel is forty six, he sees the flowers and their old tree one last time, and he smiles for Sophie and breathes his last.

Sophie buries him beneath their tree, and leaves sopheria flowers covering his grave.


End file.
